It’s the little things in life for Wayne Lutz. At 84-years-old, he exercises daily at his local YMCA in York, has weekly breakfasts with friends, spends time with his family and never misses a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game. He’s grateful for every minute of life as a prostate cancer survivor. If it weren’t for regular screenings at WellSpan, Wayne says his life could look a lot different.

15 years ago, Wayne had a regular prostate cancer screening test, which measures the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. The screening showed his levels were higher than usual, leading to a biopsy and Wayne’s diagnosis of prostate cancer.

He worked with Dr. Amit Shah, radiation oncologist at WellSpan York Cancer Center, to decide which treatment option worked best for him. After undergoing external radiation therapy for five weeks, which involves a machine directing radiation at the cancer cells, Wayne was cancer free.

“When I met Wayne, he understood the importance of regular provider visits, which included cancer screenings,” says Dr. Shah. “My role as a clinician is to educate him and his family so they could be involved in the decision-making process, and we could determine the best treatment option for him. Through treatments and routine follow-up visits, we’ve had a great relationship over the years. It’s an honor to be part of his recovery from cancer and see him live a healthy life.”

“WellSpan has been so helpful through this entire process over the last 15 years,” Wayne says. “I’ve made friends with the team and honestly look forward to going to my appointments now to see them. It’s very comforting having a welcoming, caring and knowledgeable doctor taking care of you.”

Understanding prostate cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is expected to account for approximately 299,000 new cases in the United States, making it the most common cancer among men, apart from skin cancer. It is estimated that one in eight men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.

The most common risk factor for prostate cancer is age – the older a man gets, the greater chance he has of developing it. American Cancer Society guidelines recommend that men begin discussions about prostate cancer screening at age 50, with earlier consideration for those at higher risk including African American men and those with a family history.

“While prostate cancer is curable, every individual’s case is different so talking with your primary care provider early about treatment options is very important,” Dr. Shah says. “Options range from observation for low-grade early cancer to surgical and nonsurgical treatment options. Everyone should be engaged in their health and part of the decision-making process. Being prepared can also help you catch cancer early, like Wayne.”

Medical advances over the past 10 to 15 years have resulted in a variety of treatment options that can be more convenient with improved outcomes and fewer long term side effects. These include radioactive seed implantation of the prostate and focused external radiation techniques completed in five sessions. Frequently, hydrogel spacers are placed to reduce long term irritation to tissues near the prostate.

For more information on our urologic cancer care, go here.